This week I’d love to hear about what you’re doing to support your writing practice. Notice that I’m not asking what you’re writing (though you are welcome to talk about that). Supporting a writing practice doesn’t always translate into writing itself. It can also be the things you do to cultivate a sense of openness, awe, and/or creative, flexible thinking. Ruminating and pondering count, as do taking care of logistics in order to make space for writing.
Sunlight and Shadow (1872) by Winslow Homer. Original from The Smithsonian.
This week I started teaching a summer composition class. I'm also taking a nonfiction class and doing an independent study, reading all the nature books I can pack into six weeks. Teaching what is usually a 13 week class in six weeks is a lot, but all of my classes are held in the afternoons, so I've started planning my days the night before. I learned during my last revision that I MUST work on my own creative work first thing in the morning, before I do anything else. Yesterday I began revising a short story and was glued to my desk for five hours, totally engrossed. The day before I outlined a couple chapters for my ongoing book revisions. This morning rule of working on my creative work first thing is truly supportive and basically guarantees that my creative work comes first. It's also one of the reasons I've made the conscious choice not to have children. I won't sacrifice this time for anyone if I can help it.
To support my writing practice, I'm having fun with it. I'm not taking it too seriously (though, I'm serious about it). I'm not letting self-imposed pressure take over. If I'm enjoying it, I hope readers will, too. Though, the book is being a little neglected, and I'm feeling a bit of guilt about that, August will dedicated to the book. Until then, it's all fun. xo
Yes! I can’t find the essay I read but someone shared it via notes and it’s cheekily titled “I went on a silent retreat”. They talk about losing their AirPods and being forced not to consume media while idling in public and it really resonated with me! Some of my most favorite writing I’ve done is little journal entries where I take detailed notes about what’s happening around me, setting a scene.
You absolutely should use Pinterest!! Especially if you like substack for the same reason I do- which is expression without monetizing my following. My boards are like my outside brain, folders and folders of my own personality for me to reflect on. This is an embarrassing admission but sometimes I feel like I wouldn’t remember my own personality without that visualization and collection of things that spark my interest.
I love your point about not giving up your creative time in the mornings for anyone. I feel similarly about having children. It’s already so hard to carve out time to write, or do anything that fills your cup, while surviving capitalism.
This week I am slowing down to take more in. This means putting my new Zelda game away and fighting the urge to have a podcast going 24/7. It means long walks without headphones and daily journaling. I’ve also signed up for a workshop about this same thing; making summer your creative playground. Finding ways to slow down and inspire yourself.
I’m also making a Pinterest board for my newsletter that will hold anything that inspires me to ruminate and write!
I adore all of this, especially the thought of going for walks without headphones. I need to do that sometimes. It makes me think of Thich Nhat Hanh and how he taught walking meditation: to walk slowly and observe and be present with the walking, which goes against so much of the ways I walk and have been taught to walk, and the idea that we must be productive, even on walks. And Pinterest! I have never used Pinterest but I feel like I should...
Personally, it revolves more around getting the bones of my idea immediately down on something so I don't forget anything! Still working on making time to write though..
I joined three virtual writing sessions this week (including your lovely session, Anastasia, thank you!). It helped me get back into a project I've been avoiding for a while. I also applied for a scholarship to a conference (I've never been to a writing conference) and I plan to apply for another scholarship for a writing class in the fall.
This week I started teaching a summer composition class. I'm also taking a nonfiction class and doing an independent study, reading all the nature books I can pack into six weeks. Teaching what is usually a 13 week class in six weeks is a lot, but all of my classes are held in the afternoons, so I've started planning my days the night before. I learned during my last revision that I MUST work on my own creative work first thing in the morning, before I do anything else. Yesterday I began revising a short story and was glued to my desk for five hours, totally engrossed. The day before I outlined a couple chapters for my ongoing book revisions. This morning rule of working on my creative work first thing is truly supportive and basically guarantees that my creative work comes first. It's also one of the reasons I've made the conscious choice not to have children. I won't sacrifice this time for anyone if I can help it.
To support my writing practice, I'm having fun with it. I'm not taking it too seriously (though, I'm serious about it). I'm not letting self-imposed pressure take over. If I'm enjoying it, I hope readers will, too. Though, the book is being a little neglected, and I'm feeling a bit of guilt about that, August will dedicated to the book. Until then, it's all fun. xo
Yes! I can’t find the essay I read but someone shared it via notes and it’s cheekily titled “I went on a silent retreat”. They talk about losing their AirPods and being forced not to consume media while idling in public and it really resonated with me! Some of my most favorite writing I’ve done is little journal entries where I take detailed notes about what’s happening around me, setting a scene.
You absolutely should use Pinterest!! Especially if you like substack for the same reason I do- which is expression without monetizing my following. My boards are like my outside brain, folders and folders of my own personality for me to reflect on. This is an embarrassing admission but sometimes I feel like I wouldn’t remember my own personality without that visualization and collection of things that spark my interest.
I love your point about not giving up your creative time in the mornings for anyone. I feel similarly about having children. It’s already so hard to carve out time to write, or do anything that fills your cup, while surviving capitalism.
This week I am slowing down to take more in. This means putting my new Zelda game away and fighting the urge to have a podcast going 24/7. It means long walks without headphones and daily journaling. I’ve also signed up for a workshop about this same thing; making summer your creative playground. Finding ways to slow down and inspire yourself.
I’m also making a Pinterest board for my newsletter that will hold anything that inspires me to ruminate and write!
I adore all of this, especially the thought of going for walks without headphones. I need to do that sometimes. It makes me think of Thich Nhat Hanh and how he taught walking meditation: to walk slowly and observe and be present with the walking, which goes against so much of the ways I walk and have been taught to walk, and the idea that we must be productive, even on walks. And Pinterest! I have never used Pinterest but I feel like I should...
Personally, it revolves more around getting the bones of my idea immediately down on something so I don't forget anything! Still working on making time to write though..
I joined three virtual writing sessions this week (including your lovely session, Anastasia, thank you!). It helped me get back into a project I've been avoiding for a while. I also applied for a scholarship to a conference (I've never been to a writing conference) and I plan to apply for another scholarship for a writing class in the fall.
Yay! Apply to all the scholarships, Rey!! It was so wonderful to have you join the writing session.
Thank you!!